FabArcade: The Open-Source Vintage Video Arcade

FabArcade is the first fully open-source video arcade gaming station that can be built completely at any Fab Lab using digital tools.

It's a fully functioning video arcade that lets you relive those cool retro video games from the 80's. Finally play Galaga the way it was meant to be played, with a professional joystick and arcade buttons—even including a real coin slot for US quarters (or whichever currency you prefer)! :) Plus, the FabArcade also runs additional games we developed for you!

The FabArcade uses

a housing built from small lasercut MDF sheets that you can cut with a small (60x30cm) lasercutter

a Raspberry Pi $25 embedded linux computer to run the emulators and other software

Team

It was carried out over the course of 8 weeks by BSc and MSc students from computer science, technical communication, architecture, and education, as part of a practical lab called Multimodal Media Madness during the summer of 2013.